With doctors signalling that Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will not be able to leave hospital soon, O Panneerselvam, who filled in for her when she was arrested two years ago, had been assigned her eight portfolios or departments in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa "continues to improve", Apollo Hospital has said in its latest medical bulletin released today. The chief minister has been advised to stay for a few more days in the hospital, where she was admitted for "fever and dehydration" 11 days ago.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who has been in hospital for over a week, was visited by Governor Vidyasagar Rao this evening. Mr Rao did not meet her but was briefed on her condition by top doctors.

The Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi has invited Bollywood superstar Rajinikanth to be the ambassador of "Prosperous Puducherry" via twitter. The actor, who is currently shooting in the US, is yet to respond.

The Tamil Nadu government will add new thermal power generation capacity of 13,000 MW and 3,000 MW of solar power over the next five years while continuing with many of its freebie welfare schemes, Governor K Rosaiah said on Thursday.